Georgia is me

As a billionaire Ivanishvili placed an equal sign between themselves and the state and why the sanctions introduced against him threaten the country's economy

For more than two months, street protests have been continuing in Georgia demanding new elections. In the preliminary imprisonment, the editor of the independent media of the MSU Amaglobeli holds a hunger strike, and another 50 people are considered political prisoners, as they are threatened with criminal punishments for participating in protests. The West is trying to influence Ivanishvili's regime with a cascade of sanctions. The billionaire himself urgently began to transfer his property from offshore to Georgia. This can save part of his condition, but not a reputation: it is officially stated that Ivanishvili acts in the interests of Russia. As the West punishes the “Georgian Dream” and why Ivanishvili is more afraid of the alleged British sanctions than already introduced by the American, explains Iya Baratel.

"More valuable than life - freedom"

Another one was added to the request of the Georgian protesters to hold new elections - to free the political prisoners.

The Georgian Dream all 12 years in power, almost every day recalls the "bloody nine years of the Saakashvili regime." The same government in just two months of protests caused by the stop of the European integration process has already been put in prisons hundreds of people. With the adjustment of the population of Georgia in the number of detainees in protests, it has already completely caught up with Russia.

The icon of protests today in Georgia is the Mia of Amaglobeli, the editor and founder of the popular critical online publication Batumelebi/Netgazeti. She has been holding a hunger strike for 20 days in preliminary conclusion.

Not a single protest is now complete without a poster with a demand to free the Amaglobeli Mzia, this is a constant topic for all opposition television companies and online media. They reacted to the detention even on public television of Georgia: the host of the news program Vasil Ivanov-Chikovan, each air begins with the phrase: “None of those people in black form who were brutally dispersed at the protest of citizens and journalists are still detained. Solidarity and freedom of Msiya Amaglobeli! ” By the way, he also goes to protests with a demand to free the journalist, like hundreds of other representatives of the press.

In total, in Georgia over the past months, more than 90 cases of violence were recorded against media employees. More than 70 journalists who illuminated protests were injured: reporters, photographers, operators. But the arrest of the journalist took himself to the public after the persons of her detention were air: they can see how Amaglobeli gave a slap in the face to the head of the Batumsk police in response to some remark on his part. For this, she is now facing seven years in prison.

The Mzia of Amaglobeli was detained in Batumi on the night of January 12. First, for the fact that she glued a sticker with a call to a strike on a police officer. It is impossible to detain for this in principle, so it was quickly freed. From the MSI section, excited by the facts of the illegal detention of other protesters, was about to go to the action again, however, passing by a group of police officers, she became an object of insults. Here there was a scene with a slap in the face, after which the head of the police department Batumi Irakli Dgebuadze shouted: "I will put her in a criminal case!" - All this also took the air.

After the second detention, the lawyer was not allowed for several hours. Then she said that the humiliation continued in the isolator: Dgebuadze ordered that she would not be allowed into the toilet, spit in her face and continued to insult verbally.

Later, during the testimony in the court, Dgebuadze said that from the blow he “experienced physical pain”, that is, the actions of Amaglobeli, according to the prosecution, are suitable for a criminal article. As a result, the investigation against the journalist is carried out under the first part of the 353rd article of the Criminal Code of Georgia: "Resistance, threat or violence in relation to a person protecting public order."

Human rights activists say that the actions of the Amaglobeli can take place under an administrative article, and not a criminal one, since a blow to the face of the head of the police, flowering a young man, could not even pose any potential threat, since he was in the courtyard of a police officer the site was surrounded by colleagues.

The court of first instance refused to release Amaglobeli on bail before the end of the investigation. The Court of Appeal in Kutaisi rejected the complaint of lawyers and upheld the decision of the Batum court. Lawyers say that they are already preparing a lawsuit in the Strasbourg Court of Human Rights.

The day after the detention of Amaglobeli, she announced a hunger strike. 20 days have passed since she does not eat food and drinks only water. The only reaction of the government to the pressure of the public was the message that the Amaglobels were placed in a chamber with a video surveillance system.

From prison, Amaglobeli wrote a letter published by her editorial office. There she informed her colleagues: “She announced a hunger strike. More valuable than life - freedom. "

“In my situation, any citizen who wants to live in a democratic, fair, European society, free from Russian influence, may be in my situation. Fighting until it's too late ... do not allow you to isolate Georgia from the civilized world. ”

Another journalist - Nobel Prize laureate Maria RESS spoke out in defense of the political prisoner of the MSU of Amaglobelia and against repression in Georgia.

She shared on the platform X photographs from the hall of the Batumsky court, where the Amaglobeli came with the book of the RESS “How to resist the dictator”.

“After 47 days of protests ... this is unimaginable. #FreeGeorgia, ” wrote RESSA.

The case of the MSI, Amaglobeli, was assigned the first level of anxiety on the platform of the Council of Europe on the safety of journalists. This means the most serious violation of the freedom of the media, including the threat from the state. The rules of the platform suggest the reaction of the countries of the Council of Europe to the posting of this kind of information.

In total, since the beginning of the year, three alarming alerts in Georgia have been submitted on the platform. In addition to the case of Amaglobeli, the fact of the attack on the famous journalist Zviad Coridze and the detention of the operator of the publication of Batumelebi Guram Murvanidze was detained.

In total, four alarm signals are now active on the security platform of the SE security platform, of which three are in Georgia and one in Ukraine.

Crime and punishment

At first, the Georgian Dream did not believe in sanctions at all. Then, when the first visa restrictions were scheduled, they said that it was not scary. And when the sanctions, including financial, poured a cascade, they offered to consider them a “reward” for their “patriotism”.

It all began in April 2023 with a demonstration punishment of the heads of the Georgian “Class Clan”. Then it became a sensation that the United States, a strategic partner of Georgia, first applied sanctions: four high -ranking judges, along with members of their families, were banned from entering the United States. Then the ban on the entrance to the United States expanded, and about 100 parliamentarians and officials have already included the list.

And by the end of 2024, seven Georgians were already in the most serious sanctioned “Magnitsky List”: six officials of the current government, including the head of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Vakhtang Gomelauri, and one former General Prosecutor General - Otar Partshaladze, who got there in 2023 for cooperation with Russian special services.

Five days before the parliamentary elections, the founder and honorary chairman of the Georgian Dream Bidzin Ivanishvili confidently stated that he personally “no longer expects sanctions”, as already imposed sanctions against the ruling team “caused the opposite effect”.

After the election and refusal of the opposition, mass protests began to recognize their results in Georgia, and from the West they increasingly called for sanctions personally against Ivanishvili. The surprise from the outgoing administration Joe Biden happened on the very New Year, December 27: Ivanishvili was included in the US Department of Finance. The decision was published by the Office for Foreign Asset Control (OFAC). It says that the implementation of sanctions against persons included in the list of the Ministry of Finance "is mandatory for everyone who wants to access the American financial sector."

This means that "all the assets of Ivanishvili located in the United States, or belonging or controlled by US citizens, will be blocked (i.e., frozen)."

“The actions of Ivanishvili and the“ Georgian dream ”hit the democratic institutions, contributed to human rights violations and undermined the protection of fundamental freedoms in Georgia,” said Secretary of State Anthony Blinken.

He clarified that the reason for the sanctions is Ivanishvili’s actions in the interests of Russia. At the same time, Washington left enough space for the maneuver: although US citizens are prohibited from making transactions directly with Ivanishvili, OFAC issued a general license that allows transactions with organizations in which Ivanishvili belongs to a share of 50% or more.

At the same time, Washington deprived Ivanishvili from the victory in lawsuit with the Swiss bank Credit Suisse: without the permission of the states, he will not receive compensation payments, which is about $ 739 million.

Also, Ivanishvili will become another billionaire who, due to American sanctions, is deprived of the opportunity to use the services of banks, which have Visa, Master Card and American Express cards. All his accounts in such banks should be frozen. It is assumed that Ivanishvili will not even be able to conduct transactions on his own behalf in his “card” bank, since in this case this bank itself will fall under sanctions.

OFAC is known for establishing sanctions against hostile governments, terrorist organizations, drug carters and persons who threaten the national interests of the United States. Attempts to circumvent OFAC sanctions are a criminal offense and lead to the introduction of additional, even more stringent sanctions. Punishments vary from a fine of a million dollars for every attempt to up to 20 years in prison.

According to Bloomberg, the state of Bidzina Ivanishvili over the past year increased by $ 1 billion and amounts to $ 7.6 billion.

It is not known exactly what part of Ivanishvili is in the West. The media mentioned that a couple of years ago he took out his collection of works of art from London and New York.

Extremely personal sanctions

The former head of the National Bank of Georgia, Roman Gotsiridze, believes that the US sanctions are ensured by Ivanishvili.

“This is a loop on the neck, but not until strangulation. Obviously, walking with a rope on the neck is humiliating and destructive for reputation.

Ivanishvili does not even have a normal bank card in his pocket. He can only count on the debit card of the Georgian bank Liberty, his bank “card” or any of the second -rate Russian, Chinese or Arab banks. Being a businessman, he became an outcast, became toxic for his partners. And this is only the beginning.

So far, the sanctions affected only his personally as an individual. But this does not detract from their severity. Ivanishvili handed over most of his assets to the Card Foundation, family members or companies they founded, they do not yet fall under sanctions. This means that it is enough to add to this decree on the sanctions the postscript “and family members”, and his entire business will collapse. So far, for a while, he was spared. Now he will have to think carefully how to behave. ”

The chief economist of the NPO Transparency International Georgia Besso Namchavadze explained why Ivanishvili was not included in the Magnitsky List.

"" List of Magnitsky " - very strict, punitive; His goal is not to stop a person or make him change his behavior. His goal is a lifelong punishment.

It is not true that American sanctions were “buried” or “destroyed” Ivanishvili. A gradual approach was chosen, and that's right. The United States has retained levers to tighten sanctions if repressions and anti -Western policy continue.

Ahead of the great potential for tightening the rules. For example, due to the fear of sanctions, Western brands can leave the [belonging company of Ivanishvili of the shopping center] Galleria Tbilisi. ”

The general producer of BMG business news, George Isakadze, believes that the introduction of sanctions was a blow to the reputation of the Georgian authorities.

“This is the most difficult precedent when everyone who make decisions in the country is under sanctions.

Two and a half years ago, when such sanctions began to impose against Russian oligarchs, we often heard how 10 and 20 times the richer Ivanishvili reported the most severe consequences of sanctions. This is Mikhail Friedman, and Alisher Usmanov, and others-they go through endless courts in the USA, Great Britain and Europe and very rarely achieve some kind of messages.

Now all banks and financial departments, any business structure with a reputation will try to keep a distance with a person under sanctions.

Basically, all the property of Ivanishvili was reissued on his wife and relatives. However, financial institutions will now increase attention to those persons who are associated with it hundreds of times, they will all be under suspicion, and this will complicate any transactions. ”

Not justified the trust of Zurich

So far, the Government of the “Georgian Dream” stubbornly insisted that they perceive sanctions as a “reward” for their principled policy, which provides Georgia with peace and prosperity, Ivanishvili started a lawsuit with another Swiss bank.

Together with his lawyers, as well as with an asset of the Georgian Dream, Ivanishvili already tired of the Georgian public with statements about the treachery of the Swiss Banking System, when for several years in a row he sued Credit Suisse. He considered all his disputes with the bank Ivanishvili as part of the intrigues of the West personally against him, refused to meet even with representatives of the White House until he was “returned” to two billion dollars, and even publicly admitted that he was awkward for being forced to engage with their personal financial problems to the detriment of the election campaign.

The billionaire assured that he had lost faith in Western banks, however, as it turned out, he did not come up with places to store his money better than Zurich. He translated most of the assets from Credit Suisse, with which he was quite successfully sued, to another Swiss bank - Julius Baer (in second place among Swiss banks after UBS).

At the end of January, lawyer Lasha Kalandadze said that Ivanishvili sued Julius Baer. According to representatives of the billionaire, now Julius Baer “incorrectly interpreted sanctions” and summed up the accounts of Ivanishvili and his family members. Lawyers note that the bank’s behavior has radically changed over the past year. According to them, the bank allegedly threatened to close the personal accounts of Ivanishvili, referring to his status of a politically active person. As a result, Ivanishvili believes that another Swiss bank is used to blackmail it.

By the way, about $ 4 million, from Julius Baer, ​​in 2023, the mayor of Tbilisi Kakha Kaladze, from Julius Baer.

Under the flag of Britain

Britain reacted to the situation with protests in Georgia. On December 19, 2024, the United Kingdom imposed sanctions against the head of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Vakhtang Gomelauri and four other high -ranking police officers. Then it was stated that the sanctions against them were imposed because of “shocking violence against protesters, opposition leaders and journalists, which is a terrible attack on democracy and the right of the Georgian people to carry out their main freedoms.”

Then it was noted that London’s sanctions are introducing “in coordination” with the United States. In less than a month, it was considered in the UK that it was the turn of another “coordination”.

"We will take a guard of democracy or allow you to do anything to Putin's ally?" - MP James McCliri asked a question and on January 13 submitted a petition to the House of Commons, urging the executive branch to impose sanctions against Ivanishvili. By this time, up to 20 deputies had already supported the initiative.

If Great Britain appoints sanctions, they will affect almost the entire Ivanishvili business imper, most of which is located in offshore zones belonging to British jurisdiction.

The non -governmental organization Transparency International Georgia clarifies that these are 95 companies registered in the offshore territories of the United Kingdom, namely the British Virgin and Kayman Islands.

Despite the fact that Ivanishvili often says that he is not doing business in Georgia, his offshore companies own the largest business objects in the country. Из-за санкций, например, могут пострадать банк «Карту», фонд «Карту», крупнейший торговый центр «Галерея Тбилиси», два небоскреба Axis Towers в Тбилиси, свободная промышленная зона в портовом городе Поти, «Фонд развития туризма Грузии», которому, по данным TI, также принадлежат три пятизвездочные гостиницы «Параграф», и даже ООО «Аква-Спейс», которая управляет московскими резиденциями Иванишвили.

В «Грузинской мечте» отреагировали на ходатайство в Палату общин заявлением, в котором предсказали Великобритании «окончательный крах» ее международной репутации: «Если Великобритания введет санкции против Бидзины Иванишвили, это будет означать, что и туда проник deep state, или глобальная партия войны» .

Надо сказать, что в теорию всемирного заговора, которую исповедует «Мечта», Британия действительно попала впервые. До этого в список государств, ставших жертвами таинственных сил, входили только США и страны ЕС.

Бегство из офшоров

Новый год старший сын Иванишвили Ута Иванишвили встречал в Японии. По скайпу, через нотариуса, 31 декабря он оформил новую компанию — АО «АТУ Холдинг». В Публичном реестре он указан как основатель и владелец 100% акций.

На прошлой неделе желание открыть собственную компанию внезапно появилось и у супруги миллиардера: Екатерина Хведелидзе основала компанию «Лусол», в которой владеет 100% акций.

Специалисты уверены, чтоИванишвили пытается спасти свои деньги и срочно переносит активы из офшоров в Грузию.

Глава неправительственной организации «Центр гражданского участия» Ираклий Абесадзе считает, что в компанию жены Иванишвили перенесут активы «Фонда соинвестирования» с Каймановых островов, а в компанию сына — с Британских Виргинских островов.

Имущество из Панамской офшорной зоны переоформило АО «Терра», владельцем 100% которого является сам Иванишвили.

«Иванишвили проявляет осторожность не только из-за США и Британии, он вообще не хочет оставлять свое имущество под иностранной юрисдикцией, потому что ожидает санкций уже отовсюду, где могут начаться такие обсуждения, — считает Абесадзе. — Единственная безопасная для него обстановка сегодня — это Грузия, именно для этого он и “похитил государство” — только для того, чтобы обеспечить безопасность своего имущества.

Иванишвили в панике пытается перенести всё имущество в Грузию, чтобы предотвратить заморозку активов своих компаний, их изъятие и отчуждение.

С другой стороны, он увеличивает риски для грузинской экономики, риск санкционирования конкретных бизнес-субъектов, которые будут с ним взаимодействовать, а также ставит под удар вообще всё грузинское государство, что будет означать очень тяжелый период для грузинской экономики, для государства и для каждого гражданина countries. То есть Иванишвили готов принести в жертву будущее страны ради своего собственного состояния. Как он однажды уже сказал, что не может думать о государстве, когда думает о собственных деньгах».

Согласно опубликованным накануне данным TI, к этому времени семья Иванишвили зарегистрировала в Грузии уже восемь новых АО, в которые перевели активы 12 компаний из офшорных структур, фактически «очистив» в этом процессе четыре компании.

На сегодняшний день общий подписной капитал перерегистрированных компаний составляет 163 187 800 лари (около 54 млн долларов). В организации предполагают, что семья Иванишвили сумеет полностью перевести свое имущество из офшорных юрисдикций, причем государство не получит за это ни копейки: такие льготы предусмотрены «Законом об офшорах», принятым «Грузинской мечтой» еще весной 2024 года.

Немного странно, что перевод капитала начался только сейчас, — видимо, миллиардер до последнего не хотел отказываться от дохода, который ему обеспечивали западные фонды, управлявшие его кампаниями. Теперь еще предстоит придумать, как не просто хранить, а заставить «работать» такие деньги в Грузии.

Новая волна

Санкции, введенные против Иванишвили за пару недель до инаугурации Дональда Трампа, должны напоминать новой администрации Белого дома о причинах остановки стратегического партнерства между Грузией и США.

Также за две недели до назначения на пост главы Госдепа Марко Рубио получил письмо из Конгресса, в котором его уведомили об «авторитарном правлении, фальсификации выборов» со стороны «Грузинской мечты» и «смещении Грузии в сторону оси агрессии Китая, России и Ирана».

О содержании письма сообщило Радио Свобода, источник которого уточнил, что в письме перечислены 26 человек, против которых предлагается ввести санкции. Они названы «сетью помощников — enablers — Иванишвили», состоящей из «элитного окружения, коррумпированных финансовых работников, пропагандистов и тех, кто обеспечивает работу репрессивного государственного аппарата».

В список попали члены семьи Иванишвили (включая супругу), а также премьер-министр и главы силового блока, и. O. президента Нацбанка Натия Турнава, а также бизнесмены, которые упомянуты в качестве «коррумпированных финансовых усилителей» режима из разных отраслей экономики, включая СМИ.

В итоге тема уже назначенных и еще возможных санкций в Тбилиси обсуждается постоянно, а обеспокоенность бизнес-кругов растет с каждым днем.

Под конец 2024 года из-за возросших политических рисков и ухудшения отношений с западными партнерами агентство Fitch понизило прогноз по рейтингу Грузии до негативного, при этом кредитный рейтинг пока не снижен.

«Последствия для экономики полностью зависят от того, как будут развиваться политические события», — считает финансист Гига Бединеишвили.

«Если “Грузинская мечта” сумеет удержаться во власти и продолжить ту политику, которую она проводит сейчас, то с точки зрения санкций Грузия легко может оказаться в той же ситуации, что Россия и Иран. Более того, санкции против Грузии применить гораздо проще, чем против Ирана или России. Потому что санкции против этих двух стран в некотором роде негативно сказываются на мировой экономике. А по Грузии принимать такое решение с экономической точки зрения будет гораздо проще. В итоге у нас будет полная изоляция».

Визы для «Мечты»

Не стоит забывать, что первые санкции против «Грузинской мечты» ввели страны Балтии. 2 декабря 2024 года Литва, Эстония и Латвия объявили о визовых санкциях в отношении Бидзины Иванишвили и десяти высокопоставленных должностных лиц МВД.

5 декабря экономические и персональные санкции против Бидзины Иванишвили и еще 18 человек ввела уже Украина.

Когда 27 декабря санкции против Иванишвили ввели США, министр иностранных дел Литвы Кястутис Будрис написал в X: «Наконец-то!» — причем на грузинском языке.

Будрис также призвал других членов ЕС ввести финансовые санкции против Иванишвили: «Настало время, чтобы институты ЕС и государства-члены сделали такой же шаг. Литва поддерживает грузинский народ!»

Чем ответила Европа? 31 декабря Германия ввела запрет на въезд в страну девяти лицам, которые, как отмечалось в заявлении МИД Германии, «несут основную ответственность за насилие в отношении протестующих и представителей оппозиции в Грузии».

По данным телекомпании Formula, речь идет о руководстве МВД, от министра до глав управлений.

Надо признать, что принимать резкие решения на уровне Евросоюза оказалось довольно сложно, для этого обычно требуется согласие всех стран-участниц. Однако 27 января в Брюсселе Совет ЕС всё же принял меры, более или менее похожие на санкции: отменил действие безвизового режима для дипломатов и официальных лиц из Грузии в ответ на «жестокие репрессии грузинских властей против мирных демонстрантов, политиков и независимых СМИ».

Это означает, что безвизовый режим, доступный всем рядовым жителям Грузии, теперь не распространяется на обладателей дипломатических паспортов.

То есть и грузинским дипломатам, и депутатам, и членам правительства придется оформлять визы для поездки в Евросоюз. Конечно, это не «список Магнитского», но всё же довольно унизительно.

Как и ожидалось, Венгрия и Словакия выступали против такого решения, однако оно было принято квалифицированным большинством.

И последняя по счету санкция со стороны ЕС — Грузия может лишиться и своего представительства в Парламентской ассамблее Совета Европы.

Этот вопрос рассматривают в Страсбурге, где в эти дни проходит заседание мониторингового комитета ПАСЕ.

Комитет считает, что события, произошедшие в Грузии после парламентских выборов 26 октября 2024 года, «противоречат обязательствам Грузии в рамках членства и условиям вступления в Совет Европы».

В итоге членство в ПАСЕ Грузии приостановлено, но участие делегации пока продлевается до сессии в апреле 2025 года. В Страсбурге ожидают, что за это время в стране будут назначены новые выборы и освобождены все политические заключенные.